Severance couple wash windows to help rescue horses

Patrick and Annette Archambeau stand with their horse Mariah Storm at their home in Severance last month. The couple owns Willy’s Window Washing, and part of the proceeds from their business help fund nonprofit Archway Foal Rescue and Training. The pair rescue young horses and raise them until they are about 3 or 4 years old, then find them homes.(Photo: Erin Hooley/The Coloradoan)Buy Photo

Patrick and Annette Archambeau wash windows in Northern Colorado to help clear the way for animals to have a better life.

The Severance couple use most of the revenue they generate from their business, Willy's Window Washing, to support a nonprofit that focuses on rescuing young horses. The Archambeaus have been running the charity with a focus on assisting abandoned and injured animals since 1995.

"Our job is the window washing, but what we do is the horses," Patrick, 53, said.

Through Archway Foal Rescue and Training, the Archambeaus are able to save some foals from being orphaned or killed by horse slaughterhouses. The couple commit to raising and training the foals they rescue for three to four years, then try to get people to adopt them.

"These baby horses haven't got anybody; they have no voice," Patrick said. "A lot of 'em were rescued literally right out of the hands of the kill-buyer. They're going with us or they're going straight to Mexico or Canada."

The Archambeaus understand the issue of horse overpopulation and how costly the animals can be for struggling farmers, and they said they're not opposed to older or unusable horses being sold to manufacture products like glue or pet food.

"It's not much fun to think they're going to go for dog food or whatever, but it's a viable thing," Annette, 53, said. "We're not against that. It's just the babies. The babies should have a chance to have a life."

CLOSE

Archway Foal Rescue and Training is a nonprofit operated by husband and wife Patrick and Annette Archambeau. The Archambeaus support the charity using funds from their window washing business.
Adrian D. Garcia/The Coloradoan

The Archambeaus' nonprofit is partially funded by contributions from community members and a handful of organizational grants. The donated funds help the couple purchase hay and care services. Feed costs them a minimum of $600 a month, and every two months, they have to spend $300 to trim the horses' feet.

LaPorte veterinarian Allen Landes helps Archway Foal Rescue and Training by providing medical care and services to the seven foals currently in the program at a discounted rate. Often he charges the Archambeaus only for supplies.

"There seems to be a lot more unwanted horses these days," Landes said. "You know, veterinarians have to make a living too, but I feel like I can at least give back to the community by helping some of these rescues."

Another big help is people who buy King Soopers gift cards from the nonprofit, Annette said. The Kroger Company gives the charity 5 percent back from the purchase amounts made on the reuseable cards.

Kroger's program, grants and community donations cover only about a third of what it costs to run the charity, the Archambeaus said. The couple are using money earned by Willy's Window Washing to pay for most of the nonprofit's expenses. They have owned the business for 27 years, and when weather conditions are good, they do about 60 residential jobs in a month.

Most of their work is in Boulder County because that's where they lived until 2010. They're working on building more clients in Fort Collins, Severance, Windsor and surrounding communities, Annette said.

"We're not rich, especially with the nonprofit, but we make it work," she said. "We take nothing compared to what's out there."

Those interested in learning more about Archway Foal Rescue and Training can call (970) 482-5559 or visit www.nicehorses.org. The nonprofit's founders Patrick and Annette Archambeau are looking for people to buy grocery gift cards that benefit the charity, those interested in getting the foals used to being ridden, or others who can help the organization.